IWBQ 19

Chapter 19

. Forbidden
2023.08.19.

Suaz clenched her teeth and stepped forward to Elise. Elise pointed to the chair. Suaz rolled up her nightgown and climbed onto it.

Whoosh—the sound of the cane slicing through the air was sharp.

“Ugh.”

A groan escaped Suaz. A red welt appeared across her calf.

“For failing to keep your underlings’ mouths shut.”

The cane sliced the air again.

“For mocking your master’s estate.”

The fist Suaz used to clutch her clothes tightened, veins bulging.

“For daring to judge your master.”

“Agh, I–I was wrong!”

Under the merciless strikes, Suaz finally began begging for forgiveness. She was a quick-witted woman.

Hearing her apology, Elise threw the cane to the floor. Suaz flinched at the sound it made when it landed.

“Make sure you remember today.”

Still standing on the chair, Suaz hugged herself with trembling arms to steady her body.

The loose cloth brushed against her calves.

“Mmph.”

So fierce were the strikes that in just three blows her skin had broken.

The stinging, throbbing pain brought cold sweat to her body.

Elise stared intently at Suaz’s face twisted in pain.

Her emerald eyes were deeper—far deeper than usual—and Suaz felt a chill of fear.

“If anything like this happens again, there will be no place for you in the Warton household. Those girls who hit Regina will properly apologize. Understood?”

Had she thought rationally, Suaz would have realized Elise had no real authority to cast her out of the Warton estate. But overwhelmed, she only nodded.

Elise gave her a cold, lingering look, then turned away.

“Let’s go, Regina.”

To Regina, who was frozen in shock, Elise’s manner was worlds apart from how she treated Suaz.

“My lady, is it really okay? Lady Suaz won’t let this go.”

The moment they returned to the room, Regina poured out her worries.

Within the mansion, both the head maid and the steward held considerable power. The more incapable the lords, the stronger their influence became.

The Warton viscountess cared little for household affairs; she preferred flaunting Iris like an ornament while roaming the social circles.

Thus, long ago, her duties had fallen to Suaz.

From hiring maids to selecting and distributing the masters’ daily goods—everything fell under her.

Because of that, the things Elise received were always inferior.

For instance, while the viscountess and Iris used the finest perfumed soaps, Elise was given cheap, unscented ones with little moisturizing effect.

From soap to towels, bedding, and curtains—Suaz managed them all, saving costs to provide the viscountess and Iris with finer items.

“I still have to fetch soap for you right away…”

Regina fretted, worried Elise would be given the low-quality soap usually reserved for maids. But Elise appeared unconcerned.

Because from what Elise had learned today, Suaz would now serve her with utmost care.

Strong to the strong, weak to the weak—that was Suaz. To stand above someone like her was simple.

No real display of power was needed. Just hinting that one held the ability to harm her was enough to make her bow low.

“I’m sorry, my lady. I lost my temper, and because of me…”

Still unable to shake her worry, Regina repeatedly apologized.

“Don’t hold back again.”

“…Pardon?”

“The feeling of someone fighting for me—it’s quite nice.”

“My lady…”

“But make sure you don’t get beaten. If you’re going to fight, win. I’ll handle the aftermath somehow.”

Regina’s face lit up, expecting a scolding but receiving encouragement instead. She nodded eagerly.

“Of course, my lady! I’m really good at fighting! I’ll knock them all down. For you, truly!”

Elise hadn’t meant that she should fight constantly, but Regina now looked ready to flatten anyone who dared insult her.

It was both funny and endearing, and Elise found herself laughing alongside Regina’s messy but bright smile.

As Elise had predicted, the next day Regina returned with scented soap.

And Iris’s maids came to apologize to her.

Iris herself had no idea what had happened among her maids—she simply didn’t care.

“Lady Iris has gone shopping.”

Punishing Suaz also brought Elise another benefit: she learned the schedule of Iris and the viscount couple.

“You’ve done well.”

Elise handed Suaz a gold coin. Though humiliated, Suaz accepted it and tucked it into her pouch.

“I’ll count on you again.”

Elise gestured for her to leave. Silence fell over the room.

From then on, quiet days followed—quiet for outsiders, but not for her.

During this time, Elise continued to exchange letters with Karan.

Though Chase had already prepared a chamber for him in the royal palace on the official date of invitation, Karan stubbornly remained in the shabby inn.

Elise would write about places worth visiting in Bedroca, but she had no idea what he was truly doing.

Meanwhile, newspapers were filled with stories of Iris and Chase’s romance.

Iris had taken to bed in protest at being forced to marry Chase, while Chase often sent Elise letters brimming with resentment.

Neither was ready to accept the other as a partner, yet the Wartons and the royal family busily pushed their engagement forward.

Thanks to deliberate manipulation of public opinion, talk of Elise and Karan faded beneath the surface.

She gained benefits while avoiding scandal—ideal in Elise’s view.

Just as she wondered if a letter would arrive today, a familiar owl tapped at her window.

It was late, just as Elise was about to lie down.

Opening the window, she let the jet-black owl swoop inside as if it were its own home.

Raised and tamed personally by Karan, the owl was larger than most—nearly the size of Elise’s torso.

The first night it appeared, she had been terrified; the huge, dark owl nearly shattered her window with its knocking.

Yet despite its fearsome appearance, the owl was gentle.

While Elise read Karan’s letters and prepared her replies, it kept her company. Sometimes it rubbed its head against her, other times it drove away pests like a loyal knight.

After several exchanges, Elise grew fond of the owl.

It never lost its way, never allowed their correspondence to be discovered. She even began preparing snacks for it, which made it even more affectionate.

“Good work coming all this way.”

She pushed the prepared treat toward the owl and unfastened the satchel on its back.

Inside, as always, was Karan’s letter.

—A reply has come from His Majesty.

Elise paused, taking a deep breath before opening it.

It had already been two weeks since she and Karan signed their marriage contract.

Karan had recently sent word to Tetris, declaring his intent to wed Elise.

Though Elise was prepared to follow him regardless of opposition, she wished to be officially acknowledged before setting foot in Tetris.

What answer had the king given?

Her heart pounded as her eyes dropped to the page.

The words “Marriage Forbidden” burned into her vision.

“I see.”

It was disappointing news, yet Elise spoke calmly, betraying no turmoil. She folded the letter neatly and placed it in the lowest drawer of her bedside table, atop the growing pile of letters exchanged with Karan.

Then she gathered pen and stationery, carried a chair to the window, and unhooked the cord from the wall. A wooden board descended, forming a small table.

Sitting down, Elise pondered.

King Tylo Lysandro Tetris was a shrewd man. He must have concluded that marrying into the Warton family held no benefit.

‘I thought he wasn’t the type to play marriage politics, since he let Karan remain unmarried until thirty.’

In her past life, Karan had never wed.

So Elise assumed Tylo simply didn’t care for his son’s marriage.

‘But perhaps it was just that no match ever satisfied him.’

When they had drawn up the contract, Elise had insisted on being named as the first wife, precisely with Tylo’s fickleness in mind.

‘People’s hearts can change.’

She was glad she had done so.

From Tylo’s response, it was clear he might try to present another bride to block their union.

‘It’ll be difficult to sway him right now.’

What mattered most was Karan.

To separate them, Tylo had assigned him a new mission: to subjugate the monsters that appeared in Tetris’s wastelands.

‘That’s where Gate One is.’

The region most affected by Ragnaros’s influence—though his awakening was far off, monsters were already spilling out, wreaking havoc.

‘It’s already a harsh land to survive in, even without monsters…’

Tylo had deliberately burdened them with a troublesome domain.

‘But in truth, it’s golden land.’

For Elise, who had always wanted to visit it, this was an opportunity.

‘He probably expected it to take ages to stabilize, and thought I wouldn’t follow Karan there.’

But Tylo’s calculation was utterly wrong. From the start, his math was flawed.

Still, he had luck on his side: Karan had written, “Forgive me, but please wait until I have my father’s approval.”

Yet Elise was not the type to sit and wait for others’ permission.

“I’ll just have to make it so he has no choice but to allow it.”